Automatic resetting system for counters



March 21, 1961 J. A. KONDRATH AUTOMATIC RESETTING SYSTEM FOR COUNTERS Filed Aug. 5, 1955 his-I 3- M/VE/VTOl-P. JOHN A. KONDRATH,

his Attorney.

States Patent AUTOMATIC RESETTING SYSTEM FOR COUNTERS John A. Kondrath, Waukegan, 111.

Filed Aug. 5, 1955, Ser. No. 526,587

3 Claims. (Cl. 242-78) This invention relates to an automatic resetting system for counters and more particularly to such counters when associated with wire drawing machines. Counters similar to the type shown in Spaunburg Patent No. 2,040,026, dated May 5, 1936 have been in use on continuous wire drawing machines. border to produce bundles of uniform weight the counters are installed on the wire drawing machines in a manner to automatically stop the machines after the finishing block has made a predetermined number of revolutions. After removing the bundle from the finishing block the operator manually resets the counter to zero and restarts the machine. It has been found that the operators often forget to reset the counters to zero and as a result the'machine, after being restarted, continues to run until stopped by the operator, thus resulting in oif weight bundles. It has also been found that'the operationof the reset lever of the counter is such that it causes the number wheels of the counter to jump past zero when the lever is operated too fast or with too much force. Also, if the wire breaks before a full weight bundle is produced the operator has to reset the counter manually before restarting the machine in order to obtain a full weight for the following bundle.

It is an object of my invention to provide a predetermined counter having means for automatically resetting the counter after a predetermined count.

Another object is to provide a predetermined counter for use in a wire drawing machine in which the counter is automatically reset after a predetermined count or after a wire breaks.

These and other objects will be more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic view showing a predetermined counter on a relatively large scale connected up to a draw ing machine;

Figure 2 is a view taken on the line IIII of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is. a view taken on the line III-III of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view taken on the line IV-IV of Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is a schematic wiring diagram incorporating the motor controls of my invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the reference numeral 2 indicates the finishing block of a wire drawing machine. The block 2 is driven from a motor 4 through shaft 6 and gearing 8. A predetermined counter 10 similar to that shown in the Spaunburg patent has an operating shaft 12, a control shaft 14 and a resetting shaft 16. The shafts 12, 14 and 16 correspond to shafts 2, 5 and 7 of the Spaunburg patent. Since the counter 10 is of standard construction the details thereof are not shown in the drawings and no further description is necessary. The motor 4 is shown connected to the shaft 12 through a flexible shaft 18 and coupling 20, but it will be understood that the shaft 12 may be connected to be driven at a speed proportional to the speed of block 2 in any manner. The shaft 16 is connected to a motor 22 through shaft 24 and gears 26 and 28. A cam 30 is mounted on the shaft 16. A switch 32 is mounted adjacent the cam 30 and is provided with an operating lever 34 which cooperates with cam 30 to open and close the switch. 'l wo levers 36 and 38 are mounted on the shaft 14 for movement therewith. Micro switches 40 and 41 are mounted in the counter 10 and are operated by the levers 36 and 38, respectively. As shown in Figure 3 the switch 40 is held closed by lever 36 and spring 42 and as shown in Figure 4 the lever 38 having a spring 43 attached is held away from switch 41 so that switch 41 is open. Motor 4 is energized from a power source L1 and L2 through a circuit including switch 40. A start and stop switch 44 is mounted in series with switch 40. A safety switch 46 is mounted between finishing die 48 and finishing block 2 so as to be operated by a broken end of wire W. The switch 46 has a normally closed contact 46A arranged in series with switch 44 and a normally opencontact 46B. It will be understood that the power may be supplied to the motor 4 through the usual controllers rather than by the simplified control shown. Power is supplied to the motor 22 from power source L3 and L4 by means of a circuit including switches 32 and 41 connected in parallel. Contact 46B of switch 46 is also connected in parallel with switches 32 and 41.

In operation the counter 10 is preset for a predetermined number of revolutions of the finishing block 2 of the wire drawing machine to produce a given size bundle of wire. At this time switches 32, 41 and contact 46B will all be open and switch 40 and contact 46A will be closed, these being the normal positions of the switches and contacts. Switch 44 is then closed, thus starting the motor 4 in operation to rotate the finishing block and draw wire W through the finishing die 48. Motor 4 will continue to run until the counter reaches the predetermined count. When this occurs the control shaft 14 will rotate in a clockwise direction so that lever 36 will permit switch 40 to open and lever 38 will cause switch 41 to close. Opening of switch 40 will stop motor 4. Closing of switch 41 will start reset motor 22 which will turn shaft 16 to reset the counter 10 to zero after one complete revolution of the shaft 16. The single revolution of the shaft 16 is controlled by means of the cam 30 which allows the switch 32 to close and keep the circuit of motor 22 energized until cam 30 again contacts lever 34 and opens switch 32. After the bundle of wire is removed the wire drawing machine can again be started by closing switch 44. In case the wire breaks the safety switch 46 will be actuated to open contact 46A and close contact 46B. Opening of contact 46A stops motor 4 and closing of contact 46B starts motor 22 so as to reset the counter and return the parts to their normal position.

While one embodiment of my invention has been shown and described it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

-I claim:

1. In a mechanism for coiling an elongated article, an actuating device for operating said mechanism, an electric circuit for energizing said device, a predetermined counter connected to said actuating device for measuring the length of article coiled, a reset shaft for resetting said counter to zero, a motor conected to said reset shaft, a control shaft operable by said counter, means mounted on said control shaft for opening said actuating circuit after said counter reaches a predetermined count, a reset circuit for supplying power'to said motor comprising a normally open initiating switch in said reset circuit and a holding switch connected in parallel with said initiating switch to hold the circuit initiated thereby closed, means to reset said counter to zero, and a cam mounted on said reset shaft to hold said holding switch open when said reset shaft is in full cycle position and said motor is not operating and to allow said holding switch to close when the motor starts operating and to remain closed until the reset shaft completes a revolution and the counter is reset.

2. In a mechanism for coiling an elongated article, an actuating device for operating said mechanism, an electric circuit for energizing said device, said-electric circuit including a microswitch, a predetermined counter connected to said actuating device for measuring the length of article coiled, a reset shaft for resetting said counter to zero, a motor connected to said reset shaft, a control shaft operable by said counter, means mounted on said control shaft for opening said microswitch after said counter reaches a predetermined count to deenergize said actuating circuit, a reset circuit for supplying power to said motor comprising a normally open initiating switch in said reset circuit and a holding switch connected in parallel with said initiating switch to hold the circuit initiated thereby closed, means mounted on said control shaft for closing said initiating switch after said predetermined count to start said motor to reset said counter to zero, and a cam mounted on said reset shaft to hold said holding switch open when said-reset shaft is in full cycle position and said motor is not operating and to allow said holding switch to close when the motor starts operating and to remain closed until the reset shaft completes a revolution and the counter is reset.

3. In a mechanism for coiling an elongated article, an actuating device for operating said mechanism, an elec- -tric circuit for energizing said device, a predetermined counter connected to said actuating device for measuring the length of article coiled, a reset shaft for resetting said counter to zero, a motor connected to said reset shaft,

a control shaft operable by said counter, means mounted on said control shaft for opening said actuating circuit after said counter reaches a predetermined count, a reset circuit for supplying power to said motor comprising a normally open initiating switch in said reset circuit and a holding switch connected in parallel with said initiating swtch to hold the circuit initiated thereby closed, means mounted on said control shaft for closing said switch after said predetermined count to start said motor to reset said counter to zero, a cam mounted on said reset shaft to hold said holding switch open when said reset shaft is in full cycle position and said motor is not operating and to allow said holding switch to close when the motor starts operating and to remain closed until the reset shaft completes a revolution and the counter is reset, and a switch mounted adjacent the elongated article being coiled and having a normally closed contact in said first named circuit and a normally open contact in said reset circuit in parallel with said initiating switch, said last named switch being operable by breakage of said elongated article to deenergize said first named circuit and to energize said reset circuit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,866,523 Alexander July 12, 1932 1,904,869 Larsen Apr. 8, 1933 2,116,778 Brayer May 10, 1938 2,126,528 Beach Aug. 9, 1938 2,349,104 Morgan May 16, 1944 2,415,854 ,Sheflield Feb. 18, 1947 2,474,843 Helsing July 5, 1949 2,563,668 Abel Aug. 7, 1951 2,626,104 Pressler Ian. 20, 1953 

